R. LaFille
@rivkahlafille.bsky.social
Graphic Novelist, Educator, and Kidlit GN Creator Advocate. Repped by Janna Morishima. Hartford, CT -- Austin, TX -- NYC
FIVE WISHES, Candlewick (2027) -- CREATIVE WRITING WITH MISS MARY MAC, First Second (2025)
https://linktr.ee/rlafille
FIVE WISHES, Candlewick (2027) -- CREATIVE WRITING WITH MISS MARY MAC, First Second (2025)
https://linktr.ee/rlafille
When socialism helps capitalism for the little folks. Who'd a thunk?
I miss those egg and cheese sandwiches. 😭
I miss those egg and cheese sandwiches. 😭
November 29, 2025 at 10:51 PM
When socialism helps capitalism for the little folks. Who'd a thunk?
I miss those egg and cheese sandwiches. 😭
I miss those egg and cheese sandwiches. 😭
Going without heat/hot water for more than a few days (or to have it constantly reoccur) is absolute misery. I empathize!!!
November 29, 2025 at 4:16 PM
Going without heat/hot water for more than a few days (or to have it constantly reoccur) is absolute misery. I empathize!!!
👍 So glad to hear that! I've had so many horrible awful spawn-of-the-devil landlords, I tend to assume the worst first! 😭
November 29, 2025 at 4:14 PM
👍 So glad to hear that! I've had so many horrible awful spawn-of-the-devil landlords, I tend to assume the worst first! 😭
plus cost of potentially having to use a hotel and cost to health. (really pile it on how expensive it's going to get if they don't address it NOW).
November 29, 2025 at 3:59 PM
plus cost of potentially having to use a hotel and cost to health. (really pile it on how expensive it's going to get if they don't address it NOW).
You can also argue that once the temps drop below a certain point, your apartment is unlivable and demand that rent be prorated to subtract the value per day you were without heat or hot water or electricity.
November 29, 2025 at 3:58 PM
You can also argue that once the temps drop below a certain point, your apartment is unlivable and demand that rent be prorated to subtract the value per day you were without heat or hot water or electricity.
There are usually city/state fines for landlords that exceed the allowable days. Just threatening to sue (and getting other tenants to sign) is usually enough to get them to take care of what's going on instead of patching it over and over again with the equivalent of duct tape.
November 29, 2025 at 3:55 PM
There are usually city/state fines for landlords that exceed the allowable days. Just threatening to sue (and getting other tenants to sign) is usually enough to get them to take care of what's going on instead of patching it over and over again with the equivalent of duct tape.
I don't know if you're familiar with rental laws in Germany Niki, but we ended up writing a letter to our landlord and threatening to sue when we had similar incidents in my old apartment in Brooklyn. There is usually a limit how many days a landlord can go without providing heat for their tenants.
November 29, 2025 at 3:54 PM
I don't know if you're familiar with rental laws in Germany Niki, but we ended up writing a letter to our landlord and threatening to sue when we had similar incidents in my old apartment in Brooklyn. There is usually a limit how many days a landlord can go without providing heat for their tenants.
Good luck and have fun! Still not sure if I'll be sure to make it, but I'll def drop by if I do! MICE is my fav comics fest ever. 😭💖
November 26, 2025 at 10:17 PM
Good luck and have fun! Still not sure if I'll be sure to make it, but I'll def drop by if I do! MICE is my fav comics fest ever. 😭💖
I have one coming up that I'll make sure to share!!
November 26, 2025 at 9:30 PM
I have one coming up that I'll make sure to share!!
It's also SUPER GOOD for very large, dramatic spaces too. I love it so much, but I only use it when I'm going for dramatic effect, a real sense of SURROUNDING SPACE.
November 26, 2025 at 9:30 PM
It's also SUPER GOOD for very large, dramatic spaces too. I love it so much, but I only use it when I'm going for dramatic effect, a real sense of SURROUNDING SPACE.
I have definitely had moments in my career where I'm like "Eureka! I've discovered something new!" only to be told "oh yeah. That was like Art School 101."
Being self-taught is like reinventing the wheel, every day. 🫡
Being self-taught is like reinventing the wheel, every day. 🫡
November 26, 2025 at 9:29 PM
I have definitely had moments in my career where I'm like "Eureka! I've discovered something new!" only to be told "oh yeah. That was like Art School 101."
Being self-taught is like reinventing the wheel, every day. 🫡
Being self-taught is like reinventing the wheel, every day. 🫡
It's not something I've ever actually seen explained before. LOTS of classic, 1-pt, 2-pt, and 3-pt advice out there, but when I say 4-point wide-angle 1-point shot, it's not the kind of thing I've seen any ANY how-to-draw book.
I didn't go to school though, so maybe it's covered there. Who knows?
I didn't go to school though, so maybe it's covered there. Who knows?
November 26, 2025 at 9:27 PM
It's not something I've ever actually seen explained before. LOTS of classic, 1-pt, 2-pt, and 3-pt advice out there, but when I say 4-point wide-angle 1-point shot, it's not the kind of thing I've seen any ANY how-to-draw book.
I didn't go to school though, so maybe it's covered there. Who knows?
I didn't go to school though, so maybe it's covered there. Who knows?
I get that a book can sell better because it's in a genre that's currently hot and that some books may not sell as well because they're in a genre that's currently not, BUT good work is good work and knows no genre limitations.
November 26, 2025 at 8:04 PM
I get that a book can sell better because it's in a genre that's currently hot and that some books may not sell as well because they're in a genre that's currently not, BUT good work is good work and knows no genre limitations.
Also...can we say something about Tokyopop's obsession with Drop Shadow and Glow effects? They will be forever hallmarks of Oughts' design. RIP, oh thank god.
November 26, 2025 at 5:03 PM
Also...can we say something about Tokyopop's obsession with Drop Shadow and Glow effects? They will be forever hallmarks of Oughts' design. RIP, oh thank god.
I wanna gooooooo. But waiting to get paid still. 😭
November 26, 2025 at 5:01 PM
I wanna gooooooo. But waiting to get paid still. 😭
Oh god, I remember so much of this drama (and plenty of the behind-the-scenes gossip). The series itself is a stellar example of all beautiful sparkle (it really was a gorgeously drawn series!)...and obsession devoid of heart. Also what happens when editors have to take over the writing... >_>
November 26, 2025 at 4:48 PM
Oh god, I remember so much of this drama (and plenty of the behind-the-scenes gossip). The series itself is a stellar example of all beautiful sparkle (it really was a gorgeously drawn series!)...and obsession devoid of heart. Also what happens when editors have to take over the writing... >_>
Freelancers seriously need income averaging for tax purposes (fishermen do!) but that is a WHOLE other thread.
November 25, 2025 at 6:17 PM
Freelancers seriously need income averaging for tax purposes (fishermen do!) but that is a WHOLE other thread.
I have lost valuable deductions and massively overpaid on taxes because I made a big chunk of $ in one year, but had to make the stretch over several. Every year I've had to skip getting a payment milestone, was skipping out on the 10k-ish standard deductions. And paying n extra $3k intaxes instead!
November 25, 2025 at 6:16 PM
I have lost valuable deductions and massively overpaid on taxes because I made a big chunk of $ in one year, but had to make the stretch over several. Every year I've had to skip getting a payment milestone, was skipping out on the 10k-ish standard deductions. And paying n extra $3k intaxes instead!
And MILESTONES. To me, this is the crux of our broken system: backloaded payment schemes. We need MORE up front but especially more frequently. IMHO, the ideal milestone plan has at least six payments: on signing, script, roughs, pencils, inks, colors & letters.
November 25, 2025 at 6:13 PM
And MILESTONES. To me, this is the crux of our broken system: backloaded payment schemes. We need MORE up front but especially more frequently. IMHO, the ideal milestone plan has at least six payments: on signing, script, roughs, pencils, inks, colors & letters.
And out-of-print clauses? They need to be SPECIFIC. How many copies? Does digital distribution count? If so, how many before it's digitally out-of-print too? And ask for remainder buy back options at steep discount. Out of print books can still be a valuable small income stream.
November 25, 2025 at 6:11 PM
And out-of-print clauses? They need to be SPECIFIC. How many copies? Does digital distribution count? If so, how many before it's digitally out-of-print too? And ask for remainder buy back options at steep discount. Out of print books can still be a valuable small income stream.
And especially: KEEP YOUR RIGHTS. Publishers should get the right to print your book, in English. You need to keep everything else. Foreign language editions can be very valuable rights! Like reselling your book...and you already did the work!
November 25, 2025 at 6:07 PM
And especially: KEEP YOUR RIGHTS. Publishers should get the right to print your book, in English. You need to keep everything else. Foreign language editions can be very valuable rights! Like reselling your book...and you already did the work!
I remember people getting their panties in a wad over Tokyopop's boilerplate contracts years ago, but here's the thing...boilerplates always suck. It's understood there's going to be negotiation. So. Negotiate! Ask for more milestones. Ask for out of print clauses. Ask for more up front!
November 25, 2025 at 6:04 PM
I remember people getting their panties in a wad over Tokyopop's boilerplate contracts years ago, but here's the thing...boilerplates always suck. It's understood there's going to be negotiation. So. Negotiate! Ask for more milestones. Ask for out of print clauses. Ask for more up front!
But always ALWAYS A.L.W.A.Y.S. ask for more. NEVER accept a contract without doing that first! Publishers expect it. And their first move will always be to lowball first. It's not personal; it's business. It helps to understand that.
November 25, 2025 at 5:58 PM
But always ALWAYS A.L.W.A.Y.S. ask for more. NEVER accept a contract without doing that first! Publishers expect it. And their first move will always be to lowball first. It's not personal; it's business. It helps to understand that.